NCT03516318

Using Social Media to Improve ART Retention and Treatment Outcomes Among YLHIV in Nigeria

Using Social Media to Improve ART Retention and Treatment (SMART) Outcomes Among Youth Living With HIV (YLHIV) in Nigeria - The Youth SMART Study

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 355 (actual)
• Sponsor: FHI 360 · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 15 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

A randomized control trial to test the effectiveness of a structured online support group, SMART (Social Media to improve ART Retention in Treatment) Connections, to improve retention in HIV care services among youth living with HIV (YLHIV) in Nigeria.

Detailed description

Study aim is to examine the effect of an online structured support group intervention (SMART Connections) designed to improve retention in HIV care services among youth ages 15-21 years living with HIV enrolled in ART services. A randomized control trial in which youth living with HIV (YLHIV) will be allocated to standard of care (control) or standard of care plus an online support group and followed for 12 months. Structured questionnaires will be administered to participants at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Clinical data will also be extracted on participants. In-depth interviews with a subset of participants and intervention implementers will be completed at the end of the intervention period. Although participants will be recruited from health facilities, the intervention is conducted "virtually," by trained facilitators, not within the health facilities.

Conditions

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	SMART Connections	SMART Connections: Trained facilitators will deliver key informational messages and moderate online group discussions. The informational messages have been developed from key messages identified in each of the Positive Connections curriculum sessions. Each SMART Connections group will consist of approximately 15 to 20 YLHIV. Each online support group will begin with one in-person group meeting with the facilitator. During this meeting, participants meet one another and the facilitators. Facilitators will describe the intervention and set ground rules for participation. Ground rules will be discussed and accepted by the group members, but at a minimum, group members will be advised not to talk about what is discussed in the online group with people outside of the group.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-09-04
• Primary completion: 2019-11-30
• Completion: 2019-11-30
• First posted: 2018-05-04
• Last updated: 2020-04-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Nigeria